Thread-case



(ModeL) E. L. FITCH. Thread Case.

No. 231,027. Patented Aug. 10,1880.

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WITNESSES: kw mvsgqrom A Kay 1.40% J26 may I I BY ATTORNEYS.

JE ERS, PNDTO-LITHOGRAPHEH, WASHINGTON, D. C.

' UNITED STATES.-

EUGENE L. FITCH,

PATENT Price.

OF BREDA, IOWA.

TH READ-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,027, dated August 10, 1880.

Application filed April 29, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE L. FITCH, of Breda, in the county of Carroll and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Thread-Case, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved thread-case which is very simple in construction, exhibits the thread to the greatest advantage, and permits of getting any desired kind of thread instantly and in a simple manner.

The invention consists in a case with a glass front and top, and with a floor inclined from from front to rear, which case is provided with a series of drawers, each containing a number of spools of thread, which are held by springcatches at the end of the drawer in such a manner that if a button on the drawer is pulled a corresponding spool will drop from the drawer and roll down the inclined floor toward the clerk or salesman.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of my improved thread case. Fig. 2 is a plan view .of the same. Fig.3 is a perspective view of the rear end of one of the drawers detached, showing the mechanism for dropping the spools.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The case A is provided with the glass front B and a glass top, B, and a floor, O, inclined from the front toward the rear,-and extending beyond the rear of the case A a short distance, so as to form a space, D, open on top, into which the spool rolls, and from which it can be taken by the clerk.

The case is provided with any desired number'of inclined drawers, E, of such width as to receive the desired number of rows of spools G of thread, placed transversely, as shown in the plan view. The depth of the said drawers varies with the depth of the case. Any desired number of drawers may be arranged above each other, and any desired number of rows of spools maybe provided in each drawer. The drawers rest in grooves, bracket-strips, or on any other suitable device for supporting them.

Two spiral springs, F, are arranged at the (Model.)

end of each row of spools. These springs F are connected by a transverse piece, H, from which a piece, J curved the same as the spools, projects downward and toward the rear of the case, as shown in Fig. 1.

The transverse piece H or the ends of the springs F of each row of spools are connected with a separate button, K, in the rear wall of the case by means of some wire chain, cord L, or other suitable material, which button is marked the same as the spools in the corresponding row.

. The operation is as follows: If the clerk desires to take a certain spool out of the case A he pulls the knob K of the corresponding row of spools in the direction'ot' the arrow at. This causes the transverse piece H, which holds the spool at the end of the row, to move in the direction of the arrow 1), thus permitting the spool to roll from the edge of the drawer, from where it drops onto the inclined floor G and then rolls into the space D, from where it is taken by the clerk and handed to the buyer; but if the transverse piece H moves in the direction of the arrow 1) the projection J will move in the direction of the arrow 0 and will hold the next to the last spool, G, as shown, in the upper part of Fig. 1. As soon as the button K is released the spring raises the transverse piece H and draws back the projection J, permitting the spools of this row to roll down the slightly-inclined drawer until the end spool rests against the transverse piece H.

The spools are arranged according to number and color, all the 'spools in one row having the same color and number.

The within-described case may be used for thread, silk, or any like articles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Athread-case made substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of a case provided with an inclined floor and with a series of drawers provided with a series of springs at the ends for holding the rows of spools, and with a wire or cord with a button at the end for depressing said springs, to permit the end spool to drop onto the inclined floor and roll to the rear of the case, as set forth.

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2. The combination, with the drawers E, of two spiral springs, F, having a connecting cross-bar, H, provided with curved piece J, and connected with a rod, L, acting upon the 5 cross-piece H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the caseAof the inclined drawers E, of the inclined floor G, ex-

forth.

EUGENE L. FITCH. Witnesses WM. L, WADE, HERMAN BRUNING. 

